Salukis begin to re-stock defensive line with Chase Kerns signing

CARBONDALE, Ill. — After losing four defensive tackles to graduation, Southern Illinois defensive line coach Darius Davis was excited to sign Chase Kerns this week, a junior college recruit from Georgia Military Academy.

The 6-foot-1, 280-pound Atlanta native plays the 3-technique and recorded 26 tackles, 5.0 sacks and 12.0 tackles-for-loss last season at GMA. Kerns has three years of eligibility because he redshirted at Iowa Western Community College in 2024.

“Chase is a very aggressive football player who makes a lot of plays in the backfield,” Davis said. “His tenacity to the ball, his physicality at the point of attack of knocking guys back, I think that's what sets him apart.”

Kerns had an offer from FBS Georgia State, and a host of FCS offers, including Incarnate Word, Austin Peay, SEMO and Eastern Illinois.

“I know a lot of people were after him, and we’re fortunate to have him join the Salukis,” Davis said.

Davis said Kerns bonded with sophomore defensive tackle Amir Dwight during his recent visit to campus. Both players are Georgia natives, and while Dwight is a year older, they played against each other in high school when Kerns was at Southwest DeKalb High School and Dwight was at Crisp County High.

Dwight is coming off a productive 2025 season for the Salukis, in which he had 20 tackles, 3.0 sacks and four quarterback hurries. Davis sees a lot of similarities between the two players.

“Chase and Amir kind of hit it off right away,” Davis said. “They have a lot of the same attributes, and both guys are really just scratching the surface of what they can possibly be.”

Southern primarily played a five-man rotation at defensive tackle in 2025, but lost four players to graduation who combined to play 1,179 snaps — Caden Reeves (332), Peyton Reeves (294), Noah Friedt (281) and Bernadin Fleurima Jr. (272).

Since Georgia Military Academy is on an academic quarter-system, Kerns won’t arrive at SIU until after he graduates in March, but Davis said he will be here in time for spring ball. Once Kerns gets here, Davis predicted he will be an excellent fit in the D-line room.

“I spent a lot of time talking to his position coach at Georgia Military to make sure Chase can add to our culture,” Davis said. “You have to have certain qualities to play in our program. When he was here on his visit, the guys did a good job of making him feel at home and felt like he would be a great fit.”